


Nightmares

by Marimimi14



Series: Andrew and Neil Family's Adventures [15]
Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: 5+1 Things, Adopted Children, Anxiety, Domestic, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Everest has nightmares, Future Fic, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Kid Fic, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Nightmares, Panic Attacks, Parent-Child Relationship, Parenthood, Past Child Abuse, Past Violence, Professional Exy (All For The Game), Professional Exy Player Andrew Minyard, Professional Exy Player Neil Josten, Trans Female Character, neil and andrew are good parents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-28
Updated: 2020-03-28
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:34:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23366287
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marimimi14/pseuds/Marimimi14
Summary: 5 times Everest thought he had to deal with his nightmares alone and one time he didn't have too anymore.(I listened to the song Nightmares by All Time Low while writing this fic.)
Relationships: Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard
Series: Andrew and Neil Family's Adventures [15]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1654528
Comments: 12
Kudos: 167





	Nightmares

1.

The first time had a really bad nightmare he was almost thirteen years old and he had just lost his father. His mother had died when he was four years old from complications when she gave birth to Juniper. His father was supposed to stay with them. He had promised. But his father couldn’t anticipate the car accident that took his life. Everest was old enough to understand that. It didn’t mean that it didn’t hurt. Being alone with Line, his father’s new wife. Or Juniper who wasn’t even nine years old yet. She had cried a lot and she still didn’t understand what was going on.

All these emotions had been kept at bay by Everest for a long time. He didn’t cry when he heard the news, or during the funerals. A bunch of people he didn’t know told him he was very strong for such a young boy. Everest tried to ignore them. They were his extended family apparently, but he never saw any of them before. His parents had both been an only child and his grandparents had died when he was little. He and Juniper were alone with Line.

Everest should’ve known it would come back to him. The first night after the funerals he had all the difficulties in the world to fall asleep. But when he finally did it wasn’t for long. He woke up with a gasp a few hours later. His bedroom was still in the dark. Everest tried his best to calm his breathing, but it was difficult when every time he closed his eyes, he saw a burning car. The body of his father on the side of the road covered in blood.

After a moment, he got out of his bed. His hands were still shaking. A glass of water, that would make it better. Everest walked slowly to the kitchen. He didn’t want to wake up Juniper or Line. He had no intention to worry them even more. When he was close enough to the kitchen, he saw that the lights were already on. He didn’t think much of it. Juniper had the bad habit of leaving the lights on before exiting a room.

He wasn’t prepared for the sight he got once it the kitchen. Line was sitting at the table with empty bottles all around her. Her head was on her arms and she looked asleep. Everest contoured the table and grabbed a glass. Line’s head snapped up when he opened the tap. The sound of the water echoing in the silent room.

Her eyes focused on him. Everest tightened his grip on his glass, not liking what he saw in her eyes. He didn’t even dare take a sip. In the end, the glass ended up broken on the floor and Everest went back to sleep with his first bruises. Once he was back in his bed, replaying the earlier events in his head, a lone tear escaped his eyes and streamed down his face. He wiped it away angrily. He needed to be stronger. To keep Juniper safe. He would try very hard for his sister to never have the same experience he just had.

2.

The second time he had a nightmare was a few weeks after the first occurrence. This time a tall shadowy figure joined the burning car. She was standing over his father’s body. Screaming at him that it was all his fault. That he would pay for what he had done.

Everest woke up. It took him a few moments to realized he was still in his room. Not on the side of some road with the figure and his dead dad. He was shaking from head to toe. Pushing his covers to the ground, feeling trapped under it. He wanted to scream. He wanted to break everything he could get his hand on. He knew what would happen if he made a sound. So, he stayed in his bed and stared at his ceiling. The blank ceiling finally calmed him down. He picked his covers and wrapped himself in it. He turned in his bed, keeping his back to the wall and his eyes on his door. That way of Line came in his room he would see her.

Everest tried to convince himself that the nightmare couldn’t hurt him. That the shadowy figure in his head wasn’t real. It was difficult when his waking moments were sometimes worst than any nightmare he had.

He fell back asleep when the sky went from dark blue to light gray. Exhaustion getting the best of him. At least when he was that tired his mind left him alone and he didn’t dream about anything.

3.

The first night they spent at Andrew and Neil’s house Everest thought he would be ok. Line was far away from them, Juniper was shaken but she’ll eventually be ok, and Everest did feel safer with Andrew and Neil.

The first night he slept in the same room as his sister. Not wanting to be away from her in an unknown environment. He was so sure he wouldn’t have nightmares he went to bed and fell asleep right away.

He should’ve known his mind wasn’t kind. He woke up with a start. He looked around him, not recognizing the room he was in. The panic growing stronger with each passing second. Only when his eyes caught Juniper’s that he calmed down.

His sister had woken up and was now looking at him with wide eyes. Everest closed his eyes for a few seconds and let out a breath. Juniper wasn’t supposed to know.

“Did you have a nightmare?” She whispered.

Everest nodded, not trusting his voice just yet.

“Do you want to talk about it? Should I go get Andrew or Neil?” She whispered again.

Everest shook his head. He didn’t want to talk about it. Especially not with his sister.

“Jun.” He whispered. “You have to promise you won’t talk about it.”  
“But…” Juniper tried to argue.  
“No. I’m ok I promised. I have to figure this out on my own.” Everest told her.

Juniper stayed silent, just looking at him. After a few seconds, she nodded. She wouldn’t tell anyone. Everest squeezed her hand in a thank you and gave her a shaky smile. She returned the smile even if she looked a little worried. She turned in the bed, her back now to Everest. She went back to sleep, and Everest was left alone with his fear. At least, Line wasn’t here he tried to tell himself as he tried to go back to sleep.

4.

Once he started sleeping alone in his own room it was easier for Everest to hide his lack of sleep from everyone. He kept telling himself that they would go away by themselves. He didn’t need to burden Andrew and Neil with it.

He hadn’t expected the nightmare to change. The night after the first game they saw and Neil's violent body check, Everest dreamt of said event. But this time, Neil didn’t get up after. He stayed on the floor, his body limp. Everest saw himself sitting in the bleachers, not able to do anything. He could see Juniper next to him crying on Renee’s shoulders.

He woke up, his fists clenched in his sheets. He had to close his eyes and remind himself that Neil was ok and was asleep in the next room. He had to convince his brain that if the injury had been serious, Andrew would have taken Neil to the hospital.

Everest had an itch in his limbs. He needed to see that the man was ok. He got out of his bed and made his way to their bedroom in silence. He had gotten good at moving without a sound. He stopped at their bedroom door. He took a deep breath and turned the doorknob slowly. He opened the door only wide enough to see their bed. He let out a relieved breath when he saw that Andrew and Neil were both there and they were both asleep. Their chests rising up and down as they breathed evenly.

Everest closed the door and went back to his room. His worries were gone for now. He sat in his bed thinking about this new nightmare. It made sense he told himself. He had lost so many parental figures in the past; he didn’t want Andrew and Neil to disappear too.

5.

Everest knew his parents were worried. They kept glancing at him when they thought he couldn’t see them. This week had been hard for Everest. He didn’t sleep a lot and it started to show on a day to day basis. Neil had asked him a few questions about how he slept. Everest reassured him the best he could, saying it was only because of a school project that was stressing him out. He could tell that Andrew and Neil didn’t believe him. They had a weird talent with knowing when anyone was lying. But they didn’t push him, which Everest was grateful for. Juniper had kept her words since day one and hadn’t told them about his nightmares.

He hadn’t expected to be so tired on Friday that he fell asleep on the bud ride home. He woke when the bus stopped abruptly. He looked around in panic until his eyes met Gabby’s, who was sitting next to him.

“Are you ok? That looked pretty bad.” She said with a frown.  
“It’s nothing. Just a nightmare.” Everest muttered.  
“It’s not nothing Everest. You’re exhausted.” She said, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

Everest winced at that. You could always count on Gabby to call your bullshit out. He stayed silent, not sure how to convince her that he had everything under control.

“Look you know I would never tell you what to do but I suggest you talk to someone.” She said when she realized Everest wasn’t continuing the conversation.  
“I don’t need help. I can deal with it on my own.” Everest protested weakly. Mainly because he didn’t have enough energy to fight harder. God, he was tired.

Gabby looked at him like he was stupid. He was used to this look. He was often on the receiving end of said look because he rarely thought things through before acting.

“I’m sure you can deal with it on your own.” Gabby said. “But it’s not because you can that you should.”

Everest knew she had a point. He was also the first to tell her that when someone insulted her, and Gabby told him she could defend herself.

The bus stopped near Gabby’s house.

“Your parents would help you, Everest. They’ll understand.” She said before saying goodbye and exiting the bus.

Everest watched her as she walked to her house. He spent the rest of the bus ride thinking about what she said. Andrew and Neil never gave him a reason to doubt them. They always had been comprehensive. Everest remembered how Neil had asked him what he wanted on the first day they met. It was the first time an adult had asked him that. Everest wasn’t sure when, but he took a decision. He would talk to them about his nightmares.

+1.

A few nights after his conversation with Gabby, Everest startled awake by another nightmare. He sighed, lying on his side in his bed. At this point, he was tired and annoyed. He had a safe environment, he had parents who cared, his sister was happy, why wasn’t he able to sleep correctly.

Everest pushed his sheets away and got up. It took all the determination he had in him and went to the kitchen for a glass of water. He stopped in his tracks when he saw the lights on in the kitchen just like the first time, he had a nightmare.

His mind went back to that night and he couldn’t do anything but watch the movie of it. Line drunk and screaming at him. Her hands colliding with his body many times. The bruises he had had to hide for almost a month afterward.

He was brought back to reality at the sound of his name. He opened his eyes. He hadn’t realized he had closed them. He was met with Neil and Andrew’s. They were looking at him with worry but other than that they seemed calm. Everest tried to tell them what was going on, but he couldn’t get the words out. His breathing was too fast, and he couldn’t calm it down.

“Everest. Look at me.” Andrew said calmly.

Everest looked in his direction with wide eyes. He didn’t know what was going on. It was the first time he couldn’t calm his breathing after a nightmare. Andrew took a step toward him.

“Everest unclench your fists.” Neil said his voice also calm but his eyes on Everest’s hands.

Everest looked down at his hands. He had clenched them so hard he knew the skin of his palms was breaking but he couldn’t feel it. Everest tried to do as Neil had said but he couldn’t. His body wasn’t responding.

“Here. Take my hand instead.” Neil said when he realized Everest wouldn’t be able to do it by himself.

Everest trusted his hands at Neil, but they were still clenched in fists. Neil gently uncurled his fingers and held his hands between his. His hold wasn’t too strong, and Everest knew he could take his hands back anytime he wanted.

“Everest, can I put my hand on your shoulder?” Andrew asked him.

The boy nodded since he was sure the word wouldn’t come out even if he tried. Andrew put a firm hand on his shoulder and Everest felt a little better. The touch was grounding.

“I need you to breathe Everest. Try to module your breathing after mine.” Andrew said.

Everest nodded again. His hands were between Neil’s and Andrew’s hand was on his shoulder. He just needed to focus on his breathing then everything will be ok. He kept his eyes on Andrew as he tried to inhale and exhale at the same time as him. It took a few more minutes but his breath finally evened out.

When his body had relaxed, and his breathing was back to normal Everest was left with his exhaustion. Andrew squeezed his shoulder before letting go.

“Come on. You need a glass of water.” Neil said tugging gently on his hand.

Everest followed them to the kitchen. He sat at the stool at the island and took the glass Neil gave him. His hands were still a bit shaky, but it was probably because he was tired. Neil and Andrew stood in front of him on the other side of the island.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Andrew asked when Everest was done with his water.

Everest nodded. He hadn’t planned on doing it tonight, but he felt like after what just happened, he should.

“I had a nightmare.” He said slowly.  
“Was it the first time?” Neil asked him.

Everest shook his head. Now that he was thinking about it, he should’ve told them a long time ago. Guilt and anger at himself built up and he felt tears going down his face.

“That’s why I have trouble sleeping.” He said in a whisper.  
“Is there a reason you didn’t want to talk about it?” Andrew asked.  
“They’re about Line. I didn’t want to talk about it because I should be ok now.” Everest said a hint of anger in his voice.  
“Why do you believe you should be ok?” Neil asked.

If only Everest knew that his parents were also dealing with nightmares. If only he knew that it was not because something had stopped that it wouldn’t affect you anymore.

“It’s just… We’re here now… she… she… can’t touch me anymore. And I thought I don’t know I thought they would go away. But no. And now they changed.” Everest said. He looked up at Neil and Andrew his eyes full of tears.

“Everest. You can’t control your subconscious.” Andrew said.  
“Why? I’m so tired. I just don’t want to be afraid anymore.” Everest said as he wiped his tears away.  
“Sometimes time helps. Sometimes it’s not enough.” Neil started slowly. “You don’t have to go through it alone.”  
“I don’t?” Everest asked a little in disbelief.

He knew his parents were comprehensive, but he had few doubts. How could they help him with something that was in his head?

“No. You can always talk to us. Even if it’s the middle of the night.” Andrew said. “If you wake up and you don’t want to be alone you wake us up.”  
Everest thought about it for a few seconds. “You’re sure?” He asked.  
“Yes. We would never leave you alone if you’re scared and want us with you.” Neil assured him.  
“And if talking to us isn’t enough, we’ll find someone else. There’s a lot of good psychologists out there.” Andrew said.

Everest nodded again. He just came to terms with talking to his parents about his nightmares. He wasn’t sure he was ready to talk with a stranger. But maybe if things went for the worst instead of the best, then maybe he’ll speak to a psychologist.

“Thank you.” Everest said.  
“You don’t need to thank us.” Neil told him with a smile.  
“Do you think you’re ready to go back to bed?” Andrew asked him.  
Everest jumped out of the stool. “Yes. I should be ok for tonight.”

Andrew and Neil went back to his room with him. They kept an eye on him as he went back under the covers. They told him good night and went back to their room.

Everest inhaled deeply. He knew things wouldn’t be perfect right away, but at least he knew he wasn’t alone. For the first time in weeks, he finished his night without a new nightmare.

**Author's Note:**

> There we go. It hurt my heart to write this. Mainly because Everest was afraid and hurting and I love him so much I want him to be happy. Thank you for reading gang!


End file.
